Meral Kaya

Meral Kaya earned a B.A. and an M.A. in Turkey and finished her Ph.D. at the Ohio State University. She worked as an assistant professor in Turkey and in Rhode Island College, Providence. Kaya enjoys teaching language arts and children's literature and hopes to help students see the value of it, as they are responsible for nurturing the kids for lifelong reading and learning.

Awards, Honors and Fellowships

Best Service as a Leader Award, by Turkish Student Association, Ohio State University. (Awards and Honors) 2001

Outstanding International Student Leadership Award, by Office of International Education, Ohio State University. (Awards and Honors) 2000

Scholarship awarded by World Bank National Education Development Project in Turkey (Turkish Government-based scholarship) to pursue doctoral studies in the United States, Autumn 1996-Spring 1998. (Grants and Fellowships) 1996

Scholarship awarded by United States Information Service, Fullbright & Bilkent University to pursue master program in Bilkent University, Autumn 1994-Summer 1995. (Grants and Fellowships) 1995

Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums

"Sakarya Reads," Children's Literature Workshop and Conference." Conducted a series of nine sessions in the workshop as a teacher trainer: (1) with early childhood teachers--drama, family-school partnership, using book bags, the importance of picture books in lifelong reading, criteria in choosing children's books and teaching writing through children's books in early childhood education; (2) with elementary school teachers--questioning in critical thinking through children's books, read aloud and independent reading activities, teaching comprehension through books, using genres in teaching reading and writing in elementary schools. Sakarya, Turkey, April 5-15. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2007

"The Relationship Between Affective Variables and Participation." 32nd Annual International Convention of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages. Seattle, March 17-21. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 1998

Kaya, M. and E. Gursoy. "Technology in Second Language Learning." Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages. Wisconsin, Oct. 23-27. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 1997